We have only been in Dayton for a matter of weeks so I am not going to jump to any conclusions but the locals seem kind of down on Dayton. Before we moved here all I read online was reviews about what a dump the city is. Most of the people who grew up here tell me how much they hate it; there is a constant apology from the natives I chat up in the grocery store and at meet ups.
I don't see what is so bad about Dayton. I mean, the people drive like lunatics but that is Ohio (sorry Ohioans). And everyone seems a little grumpy but that is the state of our nation right now and I did just move from Kentucky, the friendliest place I've ever lived.
Young people here especially seem dissatisfied with their city. One young man on a review of the place said "Dayton is a great place to live if you just want to go to work, watch TV, shop at chain stores on the weekend." I wonder if he realizes this is reality for most of the people in places like Manhattan and San Fransisco, too. Besides, Dayton has culture hiding in many places. There is a farmers market and an art district downtown, the local Boston Stoker coffee brand has shops across town, lots of immigrant families from Eastern Europe, and historical sites throughout.
My guess is the people who don't think much of Dayton have seen it in better days and find its current state depressing or else they imagine life elsewhere is so much more exciting. We have come with a different perspective and so I think Alan and I are bound to see Dayton with fresh eyes, as a place worthy of exploring and, someday, even loving.
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
Broken AC 2010
When I was pregnant with Lucy our window unit air conditioner broke. Well, the good one broke. We were left with a crummy little one that could barely keep the square foot in front of it comfortable. Then last summer in Washington we went through a "heatwave" (95 degrees at its peak) with nothing but box fans to keep us cool until it passed.
Early this morning Alan woke me up. "The air won't come on," he said. My first thought was, whatever this is we have to fix it ourselves. We checked the thermostat, went into the basement to look for glaring problems, Alan ventured out to the compressor in the backyard (which was harrowing as we were in the midst of our first Ohio thunderstorm-- scary). Long story short we have to have an electrician come out tomorrow morning to fix our breaker box.
Like everything else in Dayton it will be dirt cheap to fix it. We've been languishing in the heat all day. Our house is certainly air tight! Once the cool of the evening came we opened what windows have screens and let in a little breeze. But all four of us are sweaty and moving slow.
Like our past experiences with high heat this one reminds me to take a breath and think on what is important. What is a little 85 degree weather inside once in a while? And how nice to have something break in our house for once. So what if we will all be sleeping in Lucy's room, the coolest room, tonight. Lucy will get to stay in her own bed while Alan, Iris, and I camp out on the futon mattress on the floor. And in the morning, hopefully, the electrician will get the whole thing up and running again. If not right away, we will manage in the meantime.
The joys of home-owning, Dayton living, and PhD programming are just beginning.
Early this morning Alan woke me up. "The air won't come on," he said. My first thought was, whatever this is we have to fix it ourselves. We checked the thermostat, went into the basement to look for glaring problems, Alan ventured out to the compressor in the backyard (which was harrowing as we were in the midst of our first Ohio thunderstorm-- scary). Long story short we have to have an electrician come out tomorrow morning to fix our breaker box.
Like everything else in Dayton it will be dirt cheap to fix it. We've been languishing in the heat all day. Our house is certainly air tight! Once the cool of the evening came we opened what windows have screens and let in a little breeze. But all four of us are sweaty and moving slow.
Like our past experiences with high heat this one reminds me to take a breath and think on what is important. What is a little 85 degree weather inside once in a while? And how nice to have something break in our house for once. So what if we will all be sleeping in Lucy's room, the coolest room, tonight. Lucy will get to stay in her own bed while Alan, Iris, and I camp out on the futon mattress on the floor. And in the morning, hopefully, the electrician will get the whole thing up and running again. If not right away, we will manage in the meantime.
The joys of home-owning, Dayton living, and PhD programming are just beginning.
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